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Is Gabriel Martinelli’s Arsenal Exit Still Happening?

With no official announcements and a distinct lack of replacements signed, fans are asking the same question with a note of hope.
Grey Whitebloom|
Gabriel Martinelli is on his way out at Arsenal.
Gabriel Martinelli is on his way out at Arsenal. | Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

The merciful conclusion to Deadline Day in the Premier League came and went without any major news for Arsenal.

A last gasp push for Malick Fofana was predictably overlooked, Gabriel Jesus completed his heavily trailed move to Barcelona and Julián Alvarez didn’t miraculously appear at the Emirates. However, the confirmation of Gabriel Martinelli’s sale to Al Hilal was conspicuous by its absence.

While some may have hoped that this was a Folarin Balogun-esque example of cold feet, perhaps Arsenal had even realized that one natural left winger was not enough to fight across four fronts, the deal is still very much expected to go through.

Martinelli was filmed arriving in Riyadh on Tuesday evening without any whisper of a late derailment to surface. After all, Al Hilal and the rest of the Saudi Pro League, still have time on their side.

Why Gabriel Martinelli’s Move to Al Hilal Hasn’t Been Announced?

Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal curiously didn’t sign a Martinelli replacement. | Marc Atkins/Getty Images

When it comes to the transfer market, the Saudi Pro League plays by its own rule. Players are bought by each club with a holistic view of how it will affect the entire division (and Cristiano Ronaldo in particular) with any typical hang-ups about good value or sustainability cast to the wayside.

The idiosyncrasies extend to the league’s calendar.

Pro League clubs can continue to buy and sell all the way up until the final seconds of Oct. 12. Martinelli could feasibly play six more matches for Arsenal and still have time to sign for Al Hilal. However, given recent travel, the deal will surely be closed soon enough.

Why Arsenal Didn’t Sign a Martinelli Replacement?

Malick Fofana in action.
Malick Fofana was briefly tipped to be going to Arsenal. | Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Before Sunderland and Crystal Palace engaged in an agent-led arm wrestle, Malick Fofana was briefly linked with Arsenal. The 21-year-old Belgium forward was being viewed as a potential emergency addition in a summer which had already seen Morgan Rogers, Vinícius Júnior and Julián Alvarez turn the Gunners down.

Yet, even negotiations for Fofana were quashed in their infancy. The Athletic offer a set of conflicting explanations. The $40.5 million (£30 million) which Lyon had been hoping to earn was reportedly out of Arsenal’s reach, with fears that the Gunners could have been in danger of breaching UEFA’s financial regulations. Arsenal, however, are thought to have cited “technical reasons” as a vague explanation.

The argument that Arteta also had “concerns” over Fofana’s physicality is also raised. The 5'7" winger missed five months of last season recovering from ankle surgery. His return lasted for 13 minutes across two cameos in march before he was sidelined for another six weeks.

Will Arsenal Regret Inactivity?

Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta wanted more signings. | Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images

Arsenal ended last season with three options on the left wing; Leandro Trossard, Martinelli and Eberechi Eze. Christos Tzolis has been billed as a like-for-like Trossard replacement—even if an early contender for nickname of the season hails him as ‘the Santorini Sánchez’—but the exit of Martinelli leaves Arteta one winger lighter.

Noni Madueke could be another option on the left, although it has always looked an awkward fit for the left footer. Martinelli had his obvious flaws but he offered some key qualities which the squad is demonstrably lacking.

Arsenal’s Attacking Depth

Arsenal’s attacking depth.
Arsenal’s attacking depth is light on the left. | FotMob

One of the things Arsenal will miss most in Martinelli’s absence is his pure pace. Speed will forever be a valuable commodity, and no one on the Arsenal roster is anywhere near as fleet of foot as the departing Brazilian.

Up against a well organized Premier League rearguard, Martinelli’s head-down, straightline dribbling repeated drove him into a fleshy wall. He managed one top-flight goal in 30 appearances last term.

However, when injected into a broken contest against Champions League opposition, particularly with Arsenal in the lead, Martinelli actually had space to run into and made the most of it. An impressive tally of six European goals last term was the same which Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal managed to muster, for example.

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Grey Whitebloom
GREY WHITEBLOOM

Grey Whitebloom is an Associate Editor for SI FC. He has more than half a decade of experience in sports media across all its various guises, from the fast-paced demands of news articles and match reports to in-depth research required for features. Whitebloom graduated with a First Class Honours from University College London and found himself named on the Dean’s List—which, despite his initial fears, was a form of praise rather than a punishment. He specialises in the Premier League and Champions League, while also boasting an extensive track record of La Liga coverage.

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